STREAMLINED CHEVY | Super Sleek ’67 C10

For some builders, crazy and over the top just isn’t their style. Some choose smooth and simple styling due to a preference in overall clean aesthetics, while other truck fans lean toward the ease of function when it comes down to the reliability of their ride. The exact reasons vary case by case, but the general consensus in creating a highly streamlined pickup comes right down to getting everything that’s needed, and bypassing much of what isn’t.

Doug and Jessica Waldrup of Bartlett, Tennessee, found themselves in the market to buy and build their take on a custom C10. While they wanted their truck to be as striking as possible, they equally wished for it to be ready to roll when they are—with minimal bugs to worry about. Doug has owned a couple custom trucks and has dealt with many types of issues with them in the past. Going forward, he vowed that his next project would sit on the simpler side while still maintaining a full custom appearance.

We made sure to put patience first and try to come to an understanding that we were going to have to spend more money than we first anticipated, but it was all worth every extra month and extra dollar we spent.

“I’ve been into custom trucks ever since I was old enough to drive,” Doug says. “I have never really been into leaving my trucks stock for long, so naturally my wife and I were on the hunt for a classic Chevy that we could make our own.”

Doug was able to track down a fairly original ’67 C10 in nearby West Memphis, Arkansas. It hadn’t been chopped up too much, the frame had some work done to it already, and it was missing a motor, but it was a solid enough foundation to build a full project on—or so Doug first thought.

“Before all the ready-to-order suspension kits that are available now for these trucks, you’d have to Z the frame in order for a C10 to sit at such a low stance,” he says. “Whoever previously worked on my truck’s frame did everything horribly wrong—the frame was trashed.”

After accepting the hand he was dealt, Doug started shopping around for parts trucks that he’d be able to pull from while building another chassis for his ’67.

“After buying three different trucks, I finally would have what it would take to build the one truck that we wanted,” he says.

Now that he had all the materials required to get a new frame ready for his truck, he jumped right into getting things prepared.

“The first step in the process was media blasting all the parts and newer frame that I collected,” Doug says. “Then, I was able to order the parts I would need to get my truck low.”

Doug lined up a Porterbuilt stage 3 dropmember front kit and a KP Components six-link for the rear. He even enlisted the help of a long time friend, Bubba Logan, to start fabricating a complete chassis system for the C10. Together, the guys whipped up a frame and suspension setup that would deliver a killer adjustable ride height with minimal kinks involved.

With the chassis complete, Doug then began looking for a local shop to handle the bodywork the truck would need before paint. Sometimes finding the right place to do the work can be just as hard as trying to do it on your own.

“Since I’m not a full-time builder, this was one of the toughest phases of getting the truck done,” Doug says. “There are a lot of really good body shops in our town, but none of them really do custom work that deal with these kind trucks, so I eventually took the truck to a shop in Missouri.”

The bodywork ended up turning out great, but it took about six months to get some relatively simple things done—but the results were definitely worth the wait.

“It was mostly small stuff that caused the delay,” Doug says. “I wasn’t too worried about it, I was just getting eager to move onto the next steps.”

When it came to the engine, Doug played it safe by sticking to a GM Performance 350, which he knew would be a relatively simple implant under the hood. Doug has been able to do some simple upgrades to the engine with more on the way, but it delivers the reliability he and his wife were after.

Since the couple planned on driving the truck to shows and around town as often as possible, getting the interior dialed in was also high on the to-do list. The factory bench seat was reupholstered in black leather with diamond pattern stitch detailing, and the dash and door panels were also wrapped for good measure. Painted accent pieces were thrown in for bonus points. For added flair, a set of Dakota Digital VHX gauges and Billet Specialties steering wheel were brought into the mix, and a retro stereo from LMC Truck will help keep the tunes blasting during road trips. Things were really starting to look quite promising for Doug and Jessica.

“We started on this project shortly after getting married,” Doug says. “And one thing we knew we wanted for the truck was for it to be low and sitting on a set of Intro wheels. They were really the finishing touches on a truck that we felt was simply modified without coming close to going over the top.”

In a matter of four years, buying three extra trucks to help piece this one together and going over budget, the Waldrups now have the simple, sleek C10 they had only dreamed about.

“We made sure to put patience first and try to come to an understanding that we were going to have to spend more money than we first anticipated, but it was all worth every extra month and extra dollar we spent,” Doug says. “Jessica and I take our truck to all the local cruise nights and as many out-of-town shows as we can squeeze in with our schedules. The truck gave us a good excuse to spend more time together, which is impossible to put a price on.”

OWNER

Doug & Jessica Waldrup
’67 Chevy C10
Bartlett, Tennessee

Engine

• ’73-’87 GM Performance 350 V-8 crate engine
• Turbo 400 transmission
• Edelbrock carb
• Magnaflow 2 ½-inch exhaust system

Body & Paint

• Shop: Eric Fillingim at Evolution Automotive Design, Memphis, Tennessee
• Axalta ’13-’14 Dodge Viper Gunmetal Metallic Gray paint
• Shaved tailgate handle
• Line-X bedliner

Suspension

• Shop: Bubba Logan
• Factory ’67 frame
• Rack-and-pinion cut out
• Rear frame step notch
• Porterbuilt front dropmember
• KP Components six-link rear setup
• Rhodes custom fuel cell
• McGaughy’s front and rear disc brake conversion kits

Wheels & Tires

• 22-inch Intro Twisted Vista 2 wheels
• 265/35/22 Achilles Desert Hawk tires

Interior & Stereo

• Shop: David Bowen at Auto Interior Works, Bartlett, Tennessee
• Stock bench seat wrapped in black leather
• Dakota Digital VHX gauges
• Billet Specialties Stiletto steering wheel
• LMC Truck retro stereo
• Custom leather-wrapped center console, door panels and dash